


That's How Easy Love Can Be

by phloridas



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: (but it's super tiny), Birthday, Domestic, Established Relationship, Existential Crisis, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Reality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 22:44:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11171640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phloridas/pseuds/phloridas
Summary: An alphabetical journey of Phil's 26 favourite things about Dan--along with a special surprise at the end--may just make Dan's 26th birthday his best one yet.





	That's How Easy Love Can Be

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN!!! I hope he's having the best day with lots of food and plenty of love from Phil and all his friends and family, he truly deserves it. I think 26 will bring some really great things for him and I honestly can't wait to see what this next year has in store for us all. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!!

**8th June**

\--

The moon room was Dan’s favourite part of the London duplex.

A room just for him and Phil, miles away from the world’s prying eyes. He should be used to it by now but somehow his chest still strained with wonder each morning he woke up and ran his eyes over his decorating genius.

Phil gently stirred beside him, perhaps roused by Dan’s sharp intake of breath.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Dan murmured, sliding his fingers through the piece of splinge that Phil constantly adjusted.

“Hey. How long have you been up?”

“Hours. You wasted the whole day, babe. I filmed an entire video already, where have you been?”

Phil just smacked Dan’s arm, his blue eyes dancing with mirth.

“Okay fine. Only like a minute. I’ve just been appreciating the aesthetic masterpiece that is this room. Hey, that reminds me--wanna watch some _Attack on Titan_ with breakfast?”

“I’d love to.” Phil brushed his lips across Dan’s cheek, ending deliciously at his lips, puffy with sleep but still eager to greet Phil’s like an old friend. As Phil quickly pulled away though, a light suddenly flicked on in his eyes. If it was even possible, they grew even softer.

“You know, I love how much you love anime--and your fantastic interior decorating skills that you put to work throughout this home. Anyway, let’s go.” Phil slid out of bed, grabbing his phone and heading for the kitchen, leaving Dan slightly confused but also a spot more thankful than when he woke up two minutes ago.

In the kitchen, Dan reached around Phil’s droopy-eyed face to grab the large box of Crunchy Nut, feeling a tug on his front curl as he pulled back--the very same curl Phil somehow felt the need to praise daily. Apparently this day was no different.

“Have I mentioned how much I love your curly hair? I think it may be my favourite part of 2017 so far.”

“Phiiillll.” Despite hearing this constantly, Dan’s stomach still jumped in a manner completely unrelated to the cereal in front of him. “I swear that’s the only reason you’re keeping me here this year. That and my unbeatable sexual prowess.” He glanced up at Phil from beneath his eyelashes, finding his boyfriend shaking his head, but his eyes crinkled all the same.

“You little shit. You know, that’s another thing I love about you--your sarcasm. Even if it can be insanely irritating at times. Anyway, Eren and the titans are waiting, come on.”

Dan finished pouring his cereal and milk just as the coffeemaker dinged. Topping his NASA mug off with his requisite milk and sugar, he followed Phil into the lounge, feeling far more appreciated--and appreciative--than he had in a long while. Who knew why Phil was feeling extra affectionate today, but Dan loved it all the same. Was there a way he could make this last as long as possible?

 

\--

“Phiilll! You ready?” Dan hoped Phil couldn’t hear the hint of anxiety in his tone. As excited as he was to finally cast his vote, there were still so many things that could go wrong--like missing the dogs at the polling place because Phil insisted on having a last-minute discussion with Marianne, their manager.

Finally, he rushed down the lobby just as Dan was frowning down at the election predictions on his phone. He broke into what was probably a ridiculous smile as soon as he saw Phil, though.

Clad in black jeans and his white polka dotted T shirt with his red Star Lord jacket thrown over the top, Phil was the picture of democracy--and damn did he look _good._ As Phil broke out into a similar fond smile, Dan felt his heart flutter all the way to the cream-coloured ceiling.

“You know, I love how happy you get around me,” he whispered in Dan’s ear as they left the Flipside offices, pretending like he was pointing out an odd-looking modern art sculpture in the hallway. “It’s like I can always count on you to be my own personal ray of sunshine.”

Checking around the corner for onlookers, Phil most discreetly tapped Dan’s fingers and he returned the small gesture, finally slipping his phone in his pocket. “Come on, let’s exercise our right as British citizens. Or shall I say, ‘chop chop, young laddie.’”

Dan hip-bumped Phil, his lips curled into a wry grin. “But I thought you were the sun, Phil.”

“Nope. Get with the times, Dan. People are saying I’m the moon and you’re the sun now. I kinda like it.”

“Oh my gosh, where have I been? What’s next, people insisting I’m a top now?”

Phil just rolled his eyes, hitting Dan with a playful shove as they entered the lift. Dan nearly tripped over his own feet and had half a mind to run his hands all over the buttons as payback. But that would make Dan late too, so he settled for just sticking out his tongue.

Much to his surprise, Dan found that it actually felt _good_ to stretch his legs en route to the tube even after his intense workout that had left him sidelined for days the week before.

Walking side by side with Phil (but not too close--he wasn’t up for an onslaught of questions), Dan felt freer than he had since he returned from Florida. The cooling breeze lifted his curls just enough to provide a nice relief but not enough to upset his careful lack of styling. Add that to the mild sun comfortably warming the two of them and the promise of dogs at the polling place and you’ve got a recipe for Dan’s perfect election day.

Glancing to his right, he noticed Phil was wearing the same expression he had had throughout much of their recent American venture, and Dan could tell he shared his feelings through and through.

Unfortunately upon arrival, they discovered a staggering lack of dogs (apparently they were only at a select few polling places throughout London) but that still did little to staunch Dan’s democratic high.

The whole voting process went quite quickly (Dan felt a bit of a rush at dropping his slip in the box, as juvenile as it may have been) and the absence of much of a queue meant met back up with Phil within a few seconds--apparently Phil had sneezed the moment he marked the box, resulting in what he claimed was a wobbly cross. Dan just smiled and shook his head as they made their way to the white sign, now the requisite “#IVoted” selfie spot. His lips curled up in question as he dashed over to the leafy area, handing his phone over to Phil.

“Can you take it? Pleaasseee? I’ve got the perfect pose!”

Phil just sighed, although there was no denying the fond smile creeping up his face as he unlocked Dan’s phone and Dan positioned himself in an edgy crouch.

 _You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,_ Phil’s face screamed.

Dan just stared the camera down, unflinching. Once a giggling Phil lowered his phone, Dan finally allowed himself to join in the hilarity.

All the short way home, though, between quick scrolls through Twitter, he couldn’t help noticing Phil wore a strange look, like he desperately wanted to say something. However, he just kept his head down, scrolling through his own Twitter feed, searching for a new #HeaderforPhil.

Once they reached the lift, Dan sprang.

“Okay Phil, spill it. You’ve got that look on your face like you wanna say something but you don’t want anyone to overhear. Were you perhaps about to compliment my perfectly memeworthy photo?”

Phil rolled his eyes again. “Alright sir Nose-a-Lot. As a matter of fact, it does have to do with that ridiculous photo of yours. As infuriating as it may be sometimes, I do love how extra you are. It keeps a laugh in my voice, which the world could certainly use more of.” His eyes twinkled, reflecting the near-blinding lift lights.

“My my, all this kindness today, Phil. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’ve got something up your sleeve. But thank you, babe, I do take pride in being possibly the most extra person throughout all of London.”

Was it his imagination or did Phil’s eyes flash with panic, even for just a second? Just as quickly, though, it passed, leaving a cheshire cat grin in its wake.

“Hey, can’t I tell my boyfriend how much I love him without it looking suspicious? You know, it’s skeptics like you who need extra reminding of how much love there is in the world.”

Dan didn’t buy that for a second. So Phil _was_ planning something! Knowing him, there was almost no doubt it had something to do with his birthday in three days’ time.

For possibly the first time that year, Dan actually felt excited to turn 26--even if it was just to crack Phil’s strangely affectionate puzzle.

 

\--

“Dan, you’re not going to stay up all night to watch the election results, are you? I love how politically savvy you are but I promise that whatever happens, we’ll be fine.”

“Sure, maybe we will be thanks to our fantastic subscribers but what about some of them? All the kids who just got out of uni and are now discovering that their degree is useless and are saddled with ridiculous amounts of student debt, who have to wait for hours and hours, sometimes even weeks, to get the help they may need? We _were_ those kids, Phil. And I don’t want anyone to feel the way we did six years ago.”

Dan still hasn’t taken his eyes off the TV quietly blaring BBC News. His stomach twisted as he recalled that endless night seven months ago when he honestly thought the world couldn’t get much worse.

Then he felt a presence settle down beside him, gently prying the popcorn bowl out of his white-knuckled grip. Dan finally glanced over to see a somber face replacing Phil’s usual grin.

“Dan, I completely agree with you and I get where you’re coming from. All us young people are probably going to be most affected by what happens tonight. But don’t you think you’ve done all you can by now?”

Dan considered this for a moment. Had he convinced enough people to make their voices heard, to know that they really could play a part in their nation’s future? Sure, there was the gif and that tweet from a few weeks ago, as well as the heavily stressed reminders in his live shows and that day’s obligatory poll photo--but was it really enough?

Of course, he had been careful to obscure his true views so as not to influence anyone or stir up drama--but should he have discussed politics in general a bit more? The video idea he had been bouncing around for a few days rumbled in the back of his mind.

Finally he slid his eyes back down to Phil to give him a shrug and a halfhearted nod. Phil’s eyes softened just a bit.

“You see? I promise you, Dan, no matter what happens, you’ve still got me through all this. I’ll even stay here with you right now if you want, and I’ll be quiet so you can do your Owen Jones stalking or whatever. Just promise me you won’t beat yourself up over anything, alright? You and I both know you don’t deserve it.” Phil reached for Dan’s wrists, an extra twinkle in his blue eyes.

Dan snuggled into him then, stealing a kiss on those soft pink lips (“I love your grateful little kisses,” Phil murmured, making Dan blush).

If there was one thing he could count on in this crazy world, it was Phil’s permanence. Even after eight insane years, he was still somehow willing to stand proudly by Dan’s side? That was worth its weight in gold.

Hell, even all the gold in the world wouldn’t mean as much to Dan as Phil did.

Regardless of the night’s results, that was truly something to be grateful for.

 

**9th June**

\--

Upon entering the kitchen for breakfast, Dan noticed Phil’s mouth settle into its ever permanent grin before he tucked his chin into his chest, an unmistakable blush colouring his cheeks.

What was with Phil these last couple days? Dan felt like he had just travelled through a wormhole to 2009, when they were both still constantly nervous around each other. Everything felt so...catatonic then. Dan wouldn’t trade their current familiarity for that in a second.

Phil pulled him in by the collar of his red T shirt, technically an old gift to Phil from Dan himself but so darn comfortable that Dan couldn’t help stealing it from time to time. Their shared room just made that a hundred times easier.

“Have I ever mentioned how _good_ you look in that shirt, Dan? I just love how much you love _Buffy_ , too.”

“Oh is that what this is about?” Dan smirked, twisting a banana off from the bunch near the sink. “Our shared obsessions are some kind of weird kink for you? What’s next, you’re gonna make me sing your favourite Muse songs?”

Phil’s eyes lit up for a second before Dan smacked his coffee-pouring arm. “Fat chance. You know my smouldering dulcet tones are no match for Matt’s falsetto.”

“Mmmhmmm, sure Dan,” Phil smirked, shaking his head. “But that reminds me--that’s just another thing I love about you. Your jokes, I mean. It keeps things...fresh around here.”

Dan shot Phil a weird look. Really, what was he playing at? “Well...good. I’m glad my youthful spirit can keep you from growing into the old man we all know you are now.”

Phil just shoved him before the two retreated into the lounge for their daily breakfast and Crunchyroll routine. Dan wondered again just what Phil’s motive was behind this sudden bout of sweetness but in the end, chose to just focus on the TV and appreciate this little deed for what it was--because really, who knew how long it was going to last?

 

\--

Sometime that afternoon, Dan’s mindless browsing was interrupted by the rare rumble of a car driving past. Something clicked in Dan’s brain and soon, his fingers were flying across the keyboard.

This random jolt of energy didn’t go unnoticed, though, as Phil slid his eyes over to Dan’s laptop screen right beside him, a slight smile twitching at the corners of his lips.

“You and your Formula One,” Phil sighed. “You know, I may never understand it but I do love how passionate you get about it and pretty much anything to do with racecars. It’s so unexpected but I think that’s what I like most.”

“Really?” Dan asked, fiddling with the hem of Phil’s shirt.

“Yeah.” Phil’s face suddenly lit up. “It’s like...that last detail of a book character, that one quirk that really makes them jump off the page.”

Dan blushed, flicking his eyes down to the sofa and then back up to Phil’s earnest face. His stomach flipped over.

“You know, you have that too. Nobody would expect you to be into One Direction but here you are, waxing on about Zayn like he’s the only man to ever exist.”

“Hey, you appreciate his good looks too--something I very much love and appreciate, by the way.”

“Well yeah, you can’t deny he’s the most beautiful human to ever exist--” Phil pulled a face and Dan quickly added, “well, _second_ most beautiful,” before rolling his eyes up to the high ceiling.

Phil, apparently placated, snuggled closer into Dan, an impish grin curling up his face. Dan just shoved him as both men settled back into their browsing positions as if nothing had changed--although Dan’s heartbeat now felt as fast as the racecars he was currently researching.

 

\--

“Remember my birthday last year? How I was somehow able to get us all to go to Vegas again?”

“How could I forget? That pinata Marianne made you carry throughout the day, saying it would be ‘good for the book’ and all that...oh and winning that jackpot!” Phil’s eyes flashed at the memory.

“Oh my god, yeah, you were the Vegas master that night!” Dan laughed. “You know, that reminds me...is there anything else up your sleeve besides the quiet dinner?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“Like I would tell you!” Phil exclaimed. “You know, I’d say it was _you_ who was the Vegas master that night. You set your inhibitions free, even with all those people around, and I loved it. It’s honestly my favourite Dan. Seeing you so happy actually got me to let my guard down a bit, even with our ridiculous matching shirts.”

Dan had to grin at that. He remembered opening that red checked shirt and Phil begging him to wear it, promising it would look incredible on him, and Dan somehow agreeing. Was that really a year ago?

Figuring he’d have no chance of wheedling anything out of Phil now, Dan simply leaned his head back on the new grey sofa, letting his memories take over.

Even amid all the elaborate festivities and far too many people, his 25th birthday had most certainly been an affair to remember. He only hoped that 26 could meet those lofty expectations.

 

\--

_Clunk!_

Seriously? Couldn’t his fingers move faster for once? At this rate, Dan wouldn’t have this song down until Yuuri bagged an Olympic gold--probably with a whole new beautiful but incredibly complicated piece.

Just as he opened his mouth to scream his frustrations, though, a pair of feet stopped at the doorway and forced his head off the monochrome keys.

Phil wore such an expectant look that Dan just sighed, figuring there was no use in fighting the smile that always broke onto his face at the sight of his best friend.

“Why’d you stop? You were doing so well! I wanna be blessed by your musical talents again, come on,” Phil pleaded. His eyes flicked to the bookshelves above Dan’s head.

“You know, all your theatre books just remind me--I love how much of a theatre nerd you are, Dan. I wish I had something I was passionate about like that.”

Dan blushed at the compliment, gesturing to the grey office chair behind him, where Phil promptly sat down. His face was lit up like a kid in a sweet shop.

“I’m telling you, I’m fundamentally average but sure, Phil. What do you want to hear?”

Phil clapped his hands together, his face still holding its seemingly permanent glow. “Ooooh! Ummm, can you keep going with Yuuri on Ice? It was sounding so good! Or Moonlight Sonata.”

Dan just rolled his eyes. Would Phil ever request anything else?

Still, as his fingers took off, Dan felt the familiar floating sensation that so often came when he played piano. There was just something about successfully picking up a new piece, or dusting off the cobwebs of an old one, that left Dan feeling more accomplished than just about anything.

Maybe he wasn’t the next Rachmaninoff--but did that really matter when Phil was all the audience he’d ever need?

 

**10th June**

\--

“Phiiilll! Go back, go back, what if there’s something you missed?”

“Dan, I’m not going to turn this into a 600-hour game just because _you_ insist on checking every little corner. That’s something you can do when I’m done with this.” Phil’s words may have been sharp, yet his tone was anything but.

“ _I_ _f_ you ever get done with it. I swear, haven’t you been playing that game since January?”

Phil made a move to whack Dan with the WiiU controller and Dan nearly fell off the couch in his attempt to scurry away.

To prevent any more playful abuse, he quickly switched the subject to an in-depth analysis of the characters. Sure enough, Phil’s eyes softened considerably once he glanced back at the screen, nodding and humming in agreement at Dan’s thoughts.

“I mean, nothing can possibly compare to Seven or Eight but you can’t deny this characterisation is pretty fantastic,” Dan mused.

Phil paused the game in response and trailed his eyes all over Dan, shaking his head as a fond smile stretched across his face. It was as if he was seeing Dan for the first time.

“God I love how much of a nerd you are, Dan--and how much you love _Final Fantasy_. It’s so cool how you get super passionately into it, with all your theories and character arcs and all. It was one of my favourite things about you way back when, you know. It still is, actually.”

“Awww, Phillll. I just love that you sit here and listen to my endless rants, honestly. It really helps to have someone who understands. So thank you. And your nerdiness ain’t so unattractive either, you know.” Dan snuck a kiss onto Phil’s reddening forehead, just beneath his feathery black hair.

Phil hummed, Dan taking it as a thank you as he pulled away. Both boys chose to leave it at that. Turning back to the game then, they wore matching soft smiles, each feeling just a little more grateful for the other.

 

\--

“Phil.” Dan swiveled in the black office chair a few hours later, pressing the spacebar on his clickety-clackety keyboard. “What are your thoughts on a nail painting video? Or maybe even a makeup video? It would be on AmazingPhil, of course. I’m not subjecting my channel to that.”

Phil’s eyebrows shot up a little but not nearly as high as Dan expected. “Like as a joke? Or something serious?”

“Kind of like an experiment,” Dan said. “See how we like it, maybe see if it’s entertaining at all. I mean, it is one of our most-requested videos. Who says girls should get all the fun of altering their appearance? That sounds like a pretty shit deal if you ask me.”

Phil tilted his head back and forth, a thoughtful frown on his face. Dan knew this went against everything Phil grew up with--but the frown quirked up into a promising look and Dan could tell by the way his teeth tugged at his bottom lip that he had converted him.

“So, you know how I feel about wearing nail polish myself,” Phil started.

Dan sure did. He couldn’t forget how Phil had chickened out at the last second while filming the pastel edits video, refusing to let Dan anywhere near him with that tiny brush. Dan had of course spent a thrilling few minutes chasing Phil around with the pale blue bottle until the camera had beeped, reminding them that they only had a limited amount of space to finish filming on that memory card.

“However,” he continued. “I love how you’ve been refusing to conform to gender roles recently and I think this could really drive that home. There’ll definitely be some people who find it uncomfortable at first, like maybe my mum, but I know she’ll come around--and anyway, who gives a fuck?” Phil’s eyes locked with Dan’s then, his hands gripping Dan’s own with a newfound vigour. “If this is something you really want to do, I’m in it for the long haul. And yes, I’ll even let you paint my nails if you so want--I’m not making any promises how neat yours will be, though.”

Dan slipped his hands out of Phil’s grasp then, turning back to the Sims video they were editing with a secret smile. “Really? Well maybe I will just go ahead and do it in a live show then”

“I don’t think so!” Phil retorted, wrenching the mouse towards him and nearly knocking down the keyboard in his haste. Dan snorted. “You brought this up, we’re doing it on AmazingPhil. Our subscribers deserve at _least_ that.”

Dan couldn’t hide his giant smile. Whether or not this video became a reality in the near future, he knew he had chosen the right person to do it with. He only hoped that Phil would still have this enthusiasm whenever Dan worked up the nerve to film this video--if he ever did, anyway.

 

\--

Something was pushing down on Dan’s chest.

No, not pushing--crushing, along with the constant screams rattling around in the back of his mind.

He had _so much_ to do in these upcoming weeks--finish the last of the rebranding, get his life together before VidCon, film a million and one gaming videos with Phil...and that didn’t even include the constant struggle of figuring out a new DINOF video and all those meetings for that project he and Phil would hopefully be announcing in a couple months. It was enough to put anybody in a tailspin.

Phil must have noticed the way his eyes strayed from the TV and how his arms drifted to his chest, feeling to Dan like the only things holding him together at this point.

“Hey Dan, is everything alright? Is it something we can talk about?”

The gentleness in his tone combined with those last few words opened something up deep inside Dan. The fact that Phil understood enough to know that Dan just couldn’t articulate his problems sometimes...well, it meant more to Dan than he could ever let on.

He wished these anxieties wouldn’t rear their ugly heads the night before his birthday but, he figured, you really can’t control your brain. You just had to ride the waves as they came, hoping they didn’t carry you too far from shore.

“Well, I guess it’s just everything weighing on me right now and how it all seems kind of pointless and ridiculous at times. I mean, are people really going to like this new video I put out? And what about our gaming videos, Phil? Sure, maybe they give people a few minutes of entertainment but what about a few years from now? Are we going to regret putting out so much just...decent content? Does any of this really matter? God, this is starting to sound like TATINOF, I’m sorry.” Dan laughed ruefully, noticing Phil’s face taking on the same thoughtful look he had so enjoyed for 78 shows, but with something more genuine this time.

“Hey. Just think of it this way: Our gaming videos from 2014 and 2015 are still getting crazy amounts of views and comments. Wouldn’t you say most of our videos now are a lot better than most of those?”

Dan shrugged and nodded. They were definitely happier and more comfortable, to begin with.

“See? Those videos have stood the test of time for people. I guarantee some of these will too. You know I love your existentialism, Dan, but you’ve gotta remember that some things just aren’t that deep. Remember, you do something priceless by taking people’s minds off of reality for a bit. And anyway, _I_ love your YouTube videos. Isn’t that enough?”

“You don’t count,” Dan laughed flatly, knowing even as the words left his lips that they couldn’t be farther from the truth. If anything, Phil counted the most. He was the first to watch every video, his opinions shaping the final product and convincing Dan to post it even when he hated every second.

Still, at Phil’s comforting words, Dan finally felt the elephant take a tentative step off his chest. “But thank you, Phil. You’re right, as you always are.”

“You know it,” Phil smirked, earning a giant eye roll from Dan. Even so, he couldn’t help but feel extra grateful for the kaleidoscope-eyed beauty on the sofa beside him. Somehow he always knew what to say to make Dan feel better. And that was truly irreplaceable.

 

**11th June**

\--

“ _Happy birthday to_ \--oh hey, you’re already up! But you can’t possibly be thinking of wearing that on your birthday, really, Dan?” The near-overflowing plates and mugs rattled on the white wooden tray held by a giggling Phil now stopped short in the doorway.

“What my granny cat T shirt isn’t classy enough for dinner? Oh come off it, Phil, you know you love it,” Dan teased.

Phil finally stepped over to the bed, taking great care not to spill any of the breakfast contents on the squishy mattress. “As a matter of fact, yes, I do happen to love your questionable fashion choices. But you’ve gotta agree that shirt is for lazy house days, not nice birthday dinners.”

“You know I’ll be changing into a collared shirt before we leave,” Dan said, surveying the cereal, deliciously sweet-scented pastries, and even some fruit piled high on the tray along with two steaming mugs of coffee. “This one is just so soft I couldn’t say no.” He tucked his chin to his chest and blinked wide-eyed at Phil, adoring the twinges of pink that cropped up on his rounded cheeks.

Phil got a strange look on his face then but just said, “You know what, that reminds me--I love how opinionated you are, whether it’s clothes or politics or even just my videos. You always speak your mind and you refuse to let anyone bring you down. I love how understanding you were about letting me treat you to dinner, too. I know you haven’t exactly been looking forward to today and how much you’ve really needed some alone time recently but I wanted to celebrate you in some way just to show you that you’re special and absolutely worth it. I swear it, Dan.”

Dan searched Phil’s eyes for something hidden, maybe the reason behind his endless praises this week, but there was nothing but a sincerely earnest glow. What did this man have planned?

“You’ve got something up your sleeve, Phil, what is it? Or am I gonna have to wait till tonight to find out?” A crazy, irrational part of Dan hoped there was a dog involved even though they couldn’t own one in this duplex--maybe Phil was taking him to a sanctuary or a shelter of some sort later on?

“You’re gonna have to wait and seeee!” Judging by the way Phil was fighting a toothy grin, this was certainly going to be some surprise. Dan felt like a kid on Christmas Day, wrapped up in the deliciousness of the holiday and in secrets about to be revealed. Knowing Phil, though, this was bound to be something beyond his wildest dreams--perhaps even something to make his 26th birthday the best one yet.

 

\--

Stumbling through the doorway, his stomach pleasantly full, his mind light and slightly buzzed, Dan sort of wanted to just crawl into bed with Phil, ending this lovely night on an even lovelier note. However, one glance at Phil’s eyes which now darted back and forth, soon jogged his memory.

There had unfortunately been no dogs throughout the day (besides the sausage dog and the labrador they had passed on the street on their way to the restaurant), but Dan hadn’t slid his hopes off their high shelf just yet.

“Soooo what’s this thing you’ve so staunchly refused to reveal? You said you’d finally tell me after dinner and, well...it’s after dinner. Babe? Is everything alright?” While Dan was all light touches and gentle tones, Phil had suddenly turned ghost white.

Had he forgotten something crucial? Catching Dan’s concerned look, however, he wiped the terror from his face and replaced it immediately with his softest smile--but Dan could still see the anxiety hidden in those multicoloured eyes. He grabbed Dan’s arms.

“Can you pick a film for us to watch tonight? Your, um, surprise is up in the bedroom but it might take me a minute to, ah, get it ready,” Phil said, gazing at Dan with a love and intensity he hadn’t seen since the night of the BONCAs.

What the heck was he planning? Perhaps another video? Hopefully this one wouldn’t be on YouTube--they both knew far too well how _that_ had turned out.

“Um alright, sure. Want me to call when I’m ready?” Dan said, a timid giggle escaping his lips.

“Nah, I’ll hear you coming down the hall anyway.” Phil let his right hand slide down Dan’s left arm to squeeze his hand, retreating through their filming rooms and up the stairs with a hopeful glow. Dan followed, turning right instead of left and heading to the white bookcase in the back left corner of the lounge that housed their extensive DVD collection.

Now, what was a good film to watch on your birthday? Dan ran his eyes over the countless titles, finally resting on their Pixar collection. Maybe it was the reality of growing older just now hitting him like a well-aimed Stunning spell but something made him extra nostalgic that night.

For that reason alone, he slid _Up_ off the shelf, taking a few moments to examine the box and letting the memories tumble over him.

He still remembered seeing it at the cinema just a couple weeks after Phil had first messaged him, refusing to reveal just yet how many tears it had produced. Then just a couple years later, watching it again with that same boy in his arms, promising they’d get the happy ending they deserved, unlike poor Carl and Ellie.

Dan’s outlook may have been bleak then but Phil had injected such an intoxicating hope in him that Dan just had to believe him. How things had changed, and yet also not at the same time. He hoped Phil was prepared for some major tears tonight.

Stepping softly into the bedroom, Dan noticed absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Besides the usual furniture and decorations, there was just Phil sitting on the edge of the bed, his hands behind his back, bouncing a little on the silver duvet as Dan entered.

Dan held up the DVD box in question and Phil nodded. “Good choice, good choice,” he said, but his eyes appeared to be elsewhere.

“So, Dan,” he started, now tapping his dog-socked foot on the white carpet. “These last few days, I’ve been trying to tell you just some of the things I love about you to let you know how much I love and appreciate you--because I really, really do.” Dan opened his mouth to protest--of course he knew how much Phil loved him!--but Phil plowed on.

“I love your smile. I love the way you look at me when you think I’m not looking--you’re not the only one who watches our videos back, you know.” Phil cracked a smile, albeit quite a shy one. “I love how you’re such a dog enthusiast. We will be the best owners ever one day, I’m sure of that. But most of all,” his entire body shook now and he had to take a deep breath to smooth out his nerves, “I love how you’re a Lester and always have been, even if my mum didn’t quite understand the concept of me having a boyfriend at first.

“However,” he continued, “one thing steadily became clear to me throughout our time in Florida last month. I mean, it’s been pretty clear since 2010 but I think this holiday really set it in stone for me--and, if I’m not mistaken, for you too.”

Phil took in another deep breath. “Dan. From the moment I first noticed your tweets and comments, I knew you were someone special. And ever since that week we spent together in December eight years ago, I’ve known that nothing would make me happier than spending the rest of my life with you. So,” he slipped off the bed and onto one knee on the carpet, still shaking from head to toe but finally pulling his hands out from behind his back, revealing a tiny black velvet box that sprang tears in Dan’s eyes. “Daniel Howell. Will you marry me?”

Dan clapped his hands over his mouth, his cheeks now damp but shining just as bright as the rest of his face. “Yes! Yes Phil, of course!” he choked out in a near-whisper as Phil took a deep, laughing exhale, pulling Dan’s fingers away from his face with the gentlest of touches and slipping on the gleaming silver ring before kissing Dan long and deep.

If Dan were being completely honest, he never would have expected Phil to pull out all the stops like this--but knowing he had just made this all the more special and, Dan realised with a start, perfect.

Glancing again at the little black box now sitting on the bed, Dan noticed a flash of white in the top corner. “Phil?” he said, pulling out the folded piece of paper. “What’s this?”

“Open it up and you’ll find out,” Phil grinned, all traces of nerves completely disappeared.

So Dan did, finding that it was full of Phil’s handwriting. _The ABCs of Dan Howell_ , it read at the top.

 

**_A_ ** _ nime lover _

**_B_ ** _ uffy fan _

**_C_ ** _ urly hair _

**_D_ ** _ og enthusiast _

**_E_ ** _ xistential _

**_F_ ** _ inal Fantasy lover _

**_G_ ** _ ender roll nonconformer _

**_H_ ** _ appy around me _

**_I_ ** _ nterior design skills _

**_J_ ** _ okes _

**_K_ ** _ isses _

**_L_ ** _ ester _

**_M_ ** _ usical ability _

**_N_ ** _ erd _

**_O_ ** _ pinionated _

**_P_ ** _ olitically savvy _

**_Q_ ** _ uestionable fashion choices _

**_R_ ** _ acecar lover _

**_S_ ** _ arcastic _

**_T_ ** _ heatre nerd _

**_U_ ** _ nderstanding _

**_V_ ** _ egas master _

_ e _ **_X_ ** _ tra _

**_Y_ ** _ ouTube videos _

**_Z_ ** _ ayn beauty appreciator _

 

**_W_ ** _ ill you marry me? _

 

“It’s 26 things for 26 letters of the alphabet and 26 years!” Phil burst out once Dan looked up.

“It’s perfect. Thank you, Phil,” Dan said, pulling his now-fiance into a bear hug complete with countless kisses.

As they settled into each other to enjoy the film, a thought suddenly came to Dan during Carl and Ellie’s heartbreaking montage.

“Hey Phil?”

“Yeah?”

“We got that happy ending, didn’t we?”

A pause. Then a glowing smile. “Yeah. Yeah, we did.”

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: [@phloridas](http://phloridas.tumblr.com) (finally off hiatus!!)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this rather ambitious work--it took up pretty much my entire week but hey, all the best for our boy, right? I hope you're having a wonderful day/night wherever you are, and if not, that maybe this made it a bit better. <3
> 
> (Also I'm so so happy our boy got to enjoy a loved-up dinner with some of his closest pals tonight he deserves it so much okay)


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